PTI MPA urges Sindh govt, KMC to improve playgrounds, green spaces

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf member of the Sindh Assembly, Khurram Sher Zaman, on Thursday said the provincial government and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) should improve the conditions of existing playgrounds and green spaces and also create more such spaces for Karachiites.

Zaman, who was also the party’s former Karachi president, said that since 2015, Karachi had been experiencing heatwaves due to climate change, deterioration of green spaces and greater construction activity blocking the natural wind flow.

He also showed his doubts over current commitments and public announcements by the Sindh government to create more parks, green spaces and urban forests in the city as the government’s 11-year track record indicates apathy towards the development of Karachi.

“Karachi has become a concrete jungle like other megacities of the world, and open green spaces are needed to create a pleasant living environment.” The PS-110 MPA noted that the ‘Clean Karachi’ campaign initiated by Maritime Affairs Minister Ali Zaidi revealed the dismal conditions of open spaces in the city.

“Sadly, they [playgrounds and green spaces] have literally become garbage transfer stations, and playgrounds have been taken over by encroachers in some localities. And in others, open green spaces have been completely abandoned or shut down because there is nobody to maintain them.”

“The total share of green space visible on satellite imagery has declined from 4.6 per cent in 2001 to 3.7 per cent in 2013 while large tracts of vacant land in major areas of the city center are closed off to the public and neglected,” Zaman said.

He cited a study of the University of North Carolina on urban vegetation in 16 cities around the world, and, according to the study, Karachi as the city with the lowest percentage of green areas, with only 3.06 per cent of its urban land covered with vegetation. Whereas, the highest recorded percentage share of green spaces belonged to London, with 53 per cent.

“In addition to development of green spaces, attention is required to restore the footpaths in main commercial areas and busy corridors, as they are either broken down, or used for dumping of trash and unregulated parking.”

The MPA mentioned that in the recent past, better maintenance of playgrounds and open green spaces occurred when local governments throughout the province were empowered. He strongly urged the Sindh government to amend the existing local government law to devolve power and authority to local bodies and establish provincial finance commission without any further delay.